Apparatus for sugar-coating pills



(No Model.) i 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

P. J. NO-Y ES.

\ APPARATUS FOR SUGAR COATING PILLS. v

No. 568,488. Patented Sept. 29, 1896.

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P. J. NOYES. APPARATUS FOR SUGAR COATING PILLS.

No. 568,488. Patented Sept. 29,1896.

UNITED STATES ATENT Fries.

PARKER J. NOYES, OF LANCASTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

APPARATUS FOR SUGAR-COATING PILLS.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 568,488, dated September 29, 1896.

Application filed July 25, 1898. Serial No. 481,444. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PARKER J. N OYES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lancaster, in the county of Coos and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Sugar-Coating Pills; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

l-Ieretofore it has been the practice to employ automatic mechanism for making pills by compression, such mechanism usually consisting of a mold-box with a dietherein, means for automatically regulating the charging of the mold-box with material, and an intermittently-operating companion mold member designed to enter the box and compress the matter contained therein.

The object of my invention is to provide mechanism for coating pills by compression.

To this end my invention consists in an organization of parts consisting of compressingdies and their operating mechanism, means for supplying coating material between the dies, and means for feeding, guiding, or entering pills singly in the dies and in position to be enveloped by the coating material.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of my machine complete; Fig. 2, a sectional detail view of the compressing-punches. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing them in a different position, and Fig. 3 a vertical section of the machine.

The reference-letter A indicates the table or frame portion of my machine, which is formed of 'iron and mounted upon the supporting-legs A. Depending from the lower side of the table A are the hanger-bearings at. These bearings are two in number and have revolubly mounted therein'the shaft a, which shaft extends horizontally and has mounted upon it adjacent to the right-hand hanger a a spur-gear B. This gear is adapted to mesh with the pinion-gear B, which is mounted upon the shaft b, one end of which is journaledin the right-hand hanger a and the other end in the independent hanger b.-

Mounted upon the shaft 1) between its bearings and occupying nearly all of the space therebetween are the drive-pulleys 19 over which a suitable driving belt or band (not shown) is adapted to operate.

Rigidly secured to and arising vertically from the table A is an immovable standard C which has secured thereto at its bottom and flush with the upper face of the table A a cam-plate 0. standard 0 directly over the cam-plate O; is a drum 0, which is arranged upon the standard so as to be incapable of vertical movement yet capable of a rotary movement, and this drum has in rigid connection therewith the circumferential cog-rim c, which is arranged'thereon so as to have the same axis as the drum 0. This cog-rim is adapted to mesh with the mutilated spur-gear c, which is mounted upon the vertically-extending shaft 0 By means of the mutilated gear 0 the drum is given an intermittent motion necessary to the machines proper operation, which will appear fully hereinafter.

Revolubly mounted upon the standard 0 and incapable of vertical movement thereon, is a second drum D, which is of a diameter equal. to that of the drum 0 and of a vertical thickness about one-half that of the said drum 0. Fixed rigidly upon the drum D, and having an axis common to the axis of the drum, is a second circumferential cog-rim 01, similar to the rim 0, which is adapted to mesh with and be driven by the second mutilated gear D This gear is rigidly fixed to the upper extremity of the shaft 0 and is mutilated in conformity with the mutilations of the gear 0, whereby the intermittent motion, similar to the intermittent motion of the drum 0, is imparted to the drum D. The vertical shaft 0 has a bearing in the table A and in the hanger 0 which depends from the tablebottom for a distance equal to very nearly the distance that the shaft 0 extends below the table A.

Mounted securely and immovablyupon the lower extremity of the shaft 0 is a beveled gear 01 which meshes with a similar gear 01 on the main shaft a, and which receives a continuous rotary movement from the said main shaft, whereby the shaft 0 and the connected parts are operated.

Revolubly mounted upon the Located a slight distance above the upper face of the drum 0 is a circular disk F, which is fixed securely to the said drum and adapted to revolve in unison therewith on the standard C Arranged to be vertically movable within the drum C are the lower series of mold members or dies F, which are located in the vertically-extendin g passages F and whose upper extremities are adapted to operate in the opening f of the disk F. These dies are pref erably four in number, although it is only essential to myinvention that two be employed, they being multiplied to increase the producing capacity of the machine. As the drum 0 revolves the mold members or dies F travel upon the face of the cam-plate C, which will impart to the dies a vertical reciprocating motion regulated by the form of the camplate. This reciprocation is of course followed by the reciprocation of the head of the die in the opening f of the disk F. Arranged so as to project out from the standard 0 on opposite sides thereof, and rigidly secured thereto, are the sugar-receiving hoppers or tanks G. Each of these tanks is provided with a nozzle G at the bottom and havingits open end close upon the table F, so that the latter closes it. The location of said nozzle is such as to cause the opening f in the table to register with it when the table is turned to the proper position, and then said opening will be charged wlth the coating material from the hopper.

Arranged on the left side of the standard 0 and supported rigidly on the table A, by means of the leg G is the pill or tablet feeding device g. This device consists of an inclined track or way 9, which is adapted to receive the tablets or pills, and the lower end or the mouth of the way g is stopped by means of the finger-bar 9 which is attended by mechanism for imparting to it an intermittent vertically-reciprocating movement, which is so timed that it will operate to release the tablet whenever one of the openings f of the disk F passes the mouth or lower end of the way g, and is adapted to deposit the tablet in the opening f when it is so released. The mechanism for imparting to the finger 2 its characteristic movements consists of a second-class lever H, which is fulcrumed to the standard H, rising from the table A, and connected rigidly at its free end to the fingenbar g". This lever is swung on its fulcrum by means of a vertically-reciproeatingi Arranged in the drum D in such juxtaposition with the mold members or dies F as to occur directly over them are the companion compressing mold members or dies 1, which operate in verticalslots I in the drum D, and are provided with the enlarged heads 1 These mold members or dies 1 are normally supported in such. a position that they will clear the hopper G during the revolutions of the drum D by means of a flexible metallic plate I, which extends under the head I and is supported upon the drum D by means of ment is effected by the cam 2' mounted upon the shaft to, the eccentric face of the cam bein g adapted at predetermined intervals to engage the lower end of the lever and move such lower end to the left. This, of course, will be followed by the swinging of the upper arm to the right. Formed integral with the end of the upper arm and rigidly secured thereto is an overhanging arm J, which projects to the left just beyond the periphery of the drum D, above and on a line with the heads of the dies I. The outer end of the arm J is provided with a hammer J. It will be apparent that when the lever i is swung on its fulcrum by the cam 2' the hammer will be raised, and when the cam 1L ceases to act on the lever the hammer will, by its weight and the weight of the lever 1', return with considerable violence to its normal position. Now the operation of the cam i and the consequent operation of the lever e'and its 11ammer are so timed that the hammer J will return to its normal position when one of the dies I is directly under it, and it is by this means that the dies I are driven down.

The preferred construction of my device having been set forth, I will now proceed to describe its operation.

The pills or tablets to be coated are first placed in the inclined guideway or groove g of the feeding device 9, they having been previously properly shaped. As the drum G revolves one of the dies F is moved by the cam-plate G vertically into the opening f of the disk F for a distance sufficient to leave a small recess or depression in the surface of the disk, the bottom of the recess being formed by the upper end of the die. This is shown by full lines in Fig. 2. As the drum 0 continues in its revolutions the opening f passes under one of the sugar-hoppers G and a small quantity of sugar or other substance is received in and carried away by the opening. When the pill or tablet feeding device is reached, the feeding mechanism is automaticeration is shown by Fig. 2'.

ally operated to release one of the, tablets .therein contained and deposit it in the opening f so that it lies upon thesugar or other substance in the opening. During this operation the die F has been lowered by the camplate for a distance sufficient to make the opening f large enough to receive and contain both the tablet and the sugar or other substance. (See dotted line in Fig. 2.) WVhile the tablet was being deposited in the opening the mutilated gears by which the drum 0 is revolved have operated to temporarily stop the revolutions of the drum. This will allow the tablet to be deposited in the opening f without any chance of failure. \Vhen the drum D has passed the feeding device g, the cam O operates to again lower the die in the opening f, and immediately subsequent to this the opening f passes under the second sugar-hopper G, whereupon a second supply of sugar or other substance is received upon the upper side of the pill or tablet in the recess. After the second hopper G has been reached the two drums proceed until the die I, directly over the pill, reaches a point under the hammer J, whereupon the mutilated gears operate to again stop the revolutions of the drums O and D. At this pe riod of the'operation of the machine the cam i operates upon the lever i so as to lift the hammer J, allow it to return, strike the head of the die I directly under it, and drive the said die down into the opening f of the disk F with a force sufficient to compress the sugar or other substance above and below the tablet firmly and fixedly thereon. This op- After this has been accomplished the drums start again,and by another operation of the cam-plate O the pill in the recess f is lifted out of the recess by raising the die F and deposited upon the disk F, from whence it may be taken at leisure. This completes the operation of coating the tablet.

Asbefore stated, it is only essential in my invention that one set of dies be employed-- viz., the die I and the die F, for these two dies-perform the operation of coating the pill by themselves, and I have shown "here a second set of dies similar to the first simply to make the machine capable of operating upon two tablets or pills instead of one. will be obvious that this number could be increased or decreased at will. The ends or points of the dies are reduced in size and their engaging extremities may be formed in any desired or preferred manner, this being of course regulated by the shape and size of the tablet coated.

The essential features of a machine embodying my invention may be said to be a mold boX or cavity for receiving the charges of coating material and the pill or tablet, with a mold member or die forming its bottom, means for automatically regulating the sup ply of coating material to the mold-cavity, means for automatically refeeding the pills or tablets to the mold, and means for supplying the pressure. In the machine here shown the mold box or cavity is constructed by the opening f in the rotary table and the lower die or mold member F, which is a variable bottom for the cavity enabling its capacity to be adapted to the charge it is to receive, and thus providing for measuring'the charge. The means for regulating the feeding of the coating material are provided in a hopper having its nozzle close upon the table and arranged to register with the opening in the table when brought under'it. The pill-feeding means are provided in an inclined chute and a check-finger moving intermittently to permit the escape of the pills singly. The corresponding means are found in a companion die tothe one forming the bottom of the mold-cavity and mechanism for reciprocating said. companion die or mold member. My invention therefore provides an organized mechanism operating to automatically produce sugar-coated pills or like articles, and I believe I am the first to evolve sucha machine.

The machine here shown is the one which I consider best adapted to the work, but it will be obvious to persons skilled in such matters that the adjustment, arrangement, and the machine itself could be variously and indefinitely changed without affecting the essence of the principle.

7 Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A pill or tablet coating mechanism including the combination with a mold provided with compressing mechanism, of devices for supplying a first deposit of coating material to the mold, and devices for supplying a second deposit of coating material upon and around a pill deposited within the mold and means for operating the several parts in due order.

2. A pill or tablet coating mechanism including the combination with a mold provided with compressing mechanism, of devices for supplying a first deposit of coating material to the mold, a pill-feeding guide leading to the mold, and devices for supplying a second deposit of coating material upon ICC and around a pill deposited within the mold and means for operating the several parts in due order.

, 3. A pill or tablet coating mechanism including the combination with a mold having a die, of a mechanism for depositing the coating material in the bottom of the mold, an automatic feeding mechanism for singly placing a pill on said deposit, mechanism for making a second deposit to cover and surround the pill, and dies for compressing the pill and deposits within the mold and'means for operating the several parts in due order.

, 4. In an apparatus for coating pills or tablets the combination of a revolving member provided with a recess open at both ends, a

mold member or die arranged to be vertically movable in the revolving member and having its upper end arranged in the opening therein, a second mold member or die located directly above the recess in the revolving member and adapted to revolve in unison with the said member, means for driving the second die down into the opening in the revolving member at predetermined intervals and devices by which the pill or tablet and the sugar or other substance to be coated thereon are fed into the recess, whereby, when the second die is driven into the recess, the sugar will be firmly and fixedly coated upon the tablet, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

PARKER J. NOYES.

Witnesses:

O. E. MOINTIRE,

LIZZIE J. lVICINTIRE. 

